Lantern



Fe b. 4, 1930'. w. E.- PRICE I 5 5 LANTERN Filed Sept. 19, 1934 avwemtozPatented Feb. 4, .1930

W ILLIAM E. PRICE, OF WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK LANTERN Application filedSeptember 19, 1924. Serial No. 738,645. a

This invention'relates to lanterns and to mounting means therefor. Moreparticularly, the invention is directed to lanterns for stage", displayand window lighting;

One object of the invention is to provide a series of lanterns andmounting therefor that may be grouped in a unit and used in co-operationYwithran independent reflector to make available lighting effects of awide I 1 range of quality and character.

7 A further object of the invention is to provide a light unit of thecharacter described includinga reflector and lanterns mounted inoperativerelation thereto so as to provide stage foot lights, and'havingmeans for lowering the lanterns below the stageso as to provide a'noveland practical constructlon of disappearing foot lights. 7 r j f Ano'therobject is to provide a lighting zounit constructed of few and simpleparts I whicharerelatively inexpensive to manufacture and which form ahighly eficient and desirable device for the purposes described. 1 Otherobjects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed .tout H t Certain features herein shown anddescribed, are shown,described and claimed in my co-pending applicationSerial No. 7 38,644 "filed in the United States PatentOffice on the 19thday of September, 1924, and accordingly not claimed herein.

With the above exception the invention ac 'cordingly consists in thefeatures of construc- 7 a Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation showing agroup of lanterns anda portion of a mounttion, combinations ofelementsand arrange ing therefor, forming the lighting unit shown in Fig. 4; t V

Fig. 3 isa mid-sectional View ofone'of said lanterns; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lantern with a screen in thecasing-opening replacing the door.

Referring in detail to the drawing 10 de-' notes a lantern pivotallymounted on a U- shaped frame 11 which is adjustably and removablysecured to the lantern casing 12 by means of clamping wing screws 13.The individual frames 11 are adapted each to be firmly secured eitherrigidly or swivelly to a channel supporting frame 14 to form a lightingunit, as, for example,"like that illust-rated in Fig. 2. The channelframe 14 is provided with spaced brackets 19 fastened thereto by screws20, as shown in Figs. 1 and- 2, said brackets 19 being-adapted toreceive 7 therethrough a shaft 21. The latter is secured to saidbrackets 19 by any suitable means, such as screws 22, threading into thebrackets to engage said shaft 21.' The channel frame 14, withthelanterns-10 thus assembled, is pivotally supported for swinging onany suitable mounting. In the form shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 21 isjournaled in a U-shaped frame 15 from which depends a vertical rod 16,slidable in a tubular stanso chion 17 having the usual adjusting screw18.

Each lantern 10 comprises a casin 12 having a front opening normallyclosed y a removabledoor'23 that is held in place by a pair, ofresilient, 'flat, clamping straps 24 'eachof vwhich'is fastened at oneend thereof toa side of the casing 12 adjacent its pivotal mounting asshown in Fig. 1. The door 23 is provided with'an inturned rim-flange 23for seating the door in said opening and car- 99 rles a lens '25properly aligned with a bulb 26 mounted in thecasing 12. The lens 25 maybe secured by a spring ring 27 and re taming screw 28. Casing 12 ispreferably cast in a single piece-having a portion 12 of curvedcross-section, properly shaped and positioned so that the inner surface12 th'ereof is adapted to serve as an efficient reflector. In order to;provide a simple and inexpensive construction, casing 12 maybepreferably formed of metal, as, for example, aluminum, or the like, sothat the portion 12 may provide a reflecting surface by simply polishingthe metal.

I 5 Casing l2 and door 23, with the'exception of lens 25 completelyenclose the light, the interior surface-thereof (exclusive of surface12') is preferably coated with a dull blackpigment to eliminatereflections from the walls of the casing interfering with those from thereflecting surface12 I r A socket 29 in which the bulb 26 is securec maybe slidably mounted lengthwise of the bottom of casing 12 for adjustmentwith re- 5 'spect. to lens or reflecting surface 12". $ui iitalolevmeans extending through the casingmay be provided for adjusting andmaintaining the bulb indesi red. adjusted position,-- as, for instance,(see Fig.3), by a stud 3.0 on

29 whicha wing nut 31 ismounted to control the frictional engagement ofa flat spring 32 against casing 12.

F rom the above description and .the'dr-awing, it is pl in that eachlantern 10 may be 25 easily adjusted to swing in vertical planes in itsframe 11, while the entire unit may be swjung with respect to, frame 15, V ll lien the saidunit is used fo-rfoot-lights in stage lighting-asshown in Fig. 1;, it maybe positioned in front -of a stage 3.3preferably ina depressed 4. spot;- lights through lenses 25in doors 23,

or flood-lighting when doors23 are removed. va usc er screens. also beput trontiofstheopening inthe oasinglQ a d held invention are achievedand which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. I i

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described 1 my lnventlon, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters "Patent 1. In combination, a stage and a footlight-'ing system therefor, said system comprising i.

a trough depressed below thelevelof said stage, 'a fixedrefle'ctorforming a side-wall of said trough, and a lighting unitsupported in said trough comprising alightsource and reflector pivotallymounted to provide direct. t

andindirect lighting effects for said stage from various positionsthereof in said trough.

2.. In combination with a fixed reflector, a lighting unit associatedtherewith, said unit comprising a plurality of lighting elements mountedfor individual pivotal movement about an axisthru said elements. andmeans.

for pivotally moving said .elementstsimul'ta neously as a unit aboutan'axis parallel to .and spaced from said first mentioned axis.

3. In combination, a stageand a foot light- I ing system thereforcomprising a trough depressed below the level of said stage, a fixedreflector forming a side wall of said trough, a lighting unitwithin saidtrough, said unit comprising a plurality of enclosed lanterns mountedfor. individual pivotal; movement,

simultaneously as aunit to providedirectand indirect lighting effectsfor said stage.

and means for pivotally moving said lanterns v r In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature.

WILLIAM E PRICE.

by stnaps-24 in place ofithe. door 23, to pro- 7 i duce difierentdesired lightingefiects. (See Fig; 1;.) 'B-yaswinging thelanternslOtothe position Shown-indottd lines in Fig, 1, indirect lights ingfromrefleotor 35, is provided: which may.

be of-spot light.orflood'lightcharaoter, de?

pending on whether or not the'doors' are used, or-ma, be of variouscolors, as eaplained, a e.

The. enclosed form of lighting by lanterns v 'i 55 was provided forbytheinvention is highly desirable for the purposes: described, as glare mayJoe-eliminated andthe kind and quality oflight obtained where it isneeded.

lnarrangingthel lightingjsysteni in units, a

i ay be p v dedf r-l a The'intensityof lighting mayjbevariedbycombination of} direct and indirect lighting the use e f-dimmers in thewellknown manner.

It will-thus beseen that there is provided '2. device in which theseveral objects of this

